


Didn't want to be your ghost

by MidnightBlueMoon



Series: Olivarry 2016 [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, M/M, OlivarryWeek2016, Tumblr: olivarryweek, minor relationship - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-07-12 12:45:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7104025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightBlueMoon/pseuds/MidnightBlueMoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Day 1: Olivarry + Fairytale AU<br/>Oliver is still on the island, met Slade and Shado, killed Edward Fyers - but they are stuck.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Didn't want to be your ghost

**Author's Note:**

> This is so late, I have no idea what to say.  
> Enjoy it anyway.
> 
> Olivarry Week 2016, Day 1: Fairytale AU
> 
> The title is a quote form the song 'Anyone's Ghost' by The National.

Oliver sighed. They were still captured on the island, but there was a new problem - there was almost no more food left.  
They had tried fishing, but on the island lived weird birds - Shado called them _cormorants_ \- and obviously they were very hungry. For several days they tried catching some fish, and carried an empty basket home. There was nothing to eat.

Shado started to look pale, Slade stopped his jokes. It got very silent - Oliver felt like they were all preparing to die. The first time he had faced death, it had been screaming and fire and smoke - somehow this was worse. This was saying goodbye, slowly slipping away.

One night, when the moon stood high in the sky, Oliver couldn't sleep. Trying not to wake Slade and Shado, he slipped out of the military base they were currently hiding in.  
Walking down a hallway, he looked out of the window - a habbit formed by having to fight for his life. A shadow seemed to move around just outside the building.  
Gripping his bow and arrow tighter, Oliver slipped out the door. Turning around a corner, he was face to face with a young man, with soft features illuminated by the moonlight.  
"I'm not here to hurt you." The boy's- man's voice was soft, comforting. To prove his point he lifted his hands, showing his palms to Oliver. Oliver realized he had pointed an arrow straight at the man's heart - the instinct was carved deep in his conscioussness already.  
"What do you want?" His words came out harsher than he had intended. He did not lower his bow - he just could not trust as easily as he had before.  
  
The man's face lightened up with a smile. He placed a basket - Oliver didn't know where it came from - on the ground. "I'm bringing you fish. I know you are hungry." Oliver's eyes dropped down to the basket with fish. "Thank you", he mumbled, lowering his bow. The man's cheeks's dimpled. Oliver suddenly felt bad about how he had acted towards the man. His eyes dropped to his feet. "I'm sorry about how I treated you."  
He could hear the man smile. "It's okay. I understand. Take that back to your friends - but don't tell them about me, okay?" Oliver nodded slowly, not understanding the reason, but trusting the man enough to do him this favor. The man smiled brightly at him, turned around and walked away - like he did not even care that Oliver could easily kill him. Oliver almost missed him saying, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Oliver watched him go, confused but not trying to stop him. He had seen weirder things before. Slowly lifting the basket, he looked into it. Fresh fish, enough for the three of them. Oliver tried to grasp the meaning of this, but all he could think about was how kind the man had been - without knowing him.

He took the basket back inside with him. Placing it near Shado's and Slade's place - they would wake up before he did -, he went to bed. And if he fell asleep thinking about the stranger, no-one would ever know.

**____________________________**

They had believed his story about going out at night and fishing again. He had mumbled something about fishes having not the best eyes at night and some other stuff he didn't remember. The point was, they believed it was him who caught the fish and he did not have to explain the existence of a stranger, who seemed more like a dream to him now.

When night fell down on Lian Yu, Oliver lied there, pretending to sleep. After his friends' breathing slowed down, he slipped out of the room, hurrying down the hallways. He was going to see the stranger again.

Leaving the building, Oliver watched closely for the shadows to become the man. When he was almost sure he would not show up, there was a voice whispering in his ear - making him jump and turn around.  
"I see you missed me." The amusement in his voice struck Oliver like lightning, almost making his cheeks redden. Oliver Queen did not blush.

"Why did you tell me you'd come back?" Oliver looked at the man, drowning slightly in his green eyes - they were so much like this damned forest around him, but they held all the warmth the forest missed. The man chuckled.

"Straight to the core, I see." The man - he seemed more boyish today, the dimples on his cheeks, the smile on his lips - casually brushed his arm against Oliver's, walking around him. "You need me," he whispered into Oliver's ear, "and I like people - I would not like you guys to die." His hands slid across the back of Oliver's shoulders, feeling warm to the touch and surprisingly strong.

Oliver's eyes focused on his face again. Opening his mouth, the man pressed a finger to Oliver's lips.  "So many questions," he whispered. Oliver was suddenly aware of how close they were. Their chests were almost touching - and Oliver's back was almost touching the wall behind him. "Just one more?" Oliver's lips touched the man's fingers while speaking. The man smiled, waiting.

"What's your name? I can't keep calling you the weird guy in my head." The man's cheeks dimpled and his laugh shook Oliver to his core. "No, I guess you can't."  
He grinned cheekily, the moonlight catching in his eyes. 

"My name is Barry." His fingers touched Oliver's cheek and Oliver's breath caught in his throat. He had never felt so - hung up about a man. Barry was absolutely breathtaking and Oliver did not know how he was supposed to deal with it.

Barry took a step back. "Let's get you some fish." He walked away, expecting Oliver to follow him. The archer did - still confused and feeling like he was missing some important clues here.

**____________________________**

They went fishing that night. Oliver learned that Barry possessed the ability to walk over water - at super speed. It was not a surprise that the fish did not see him coming, hitting them like lightning.

Barry had told him to be quiet and to stay as close to him as possible. Oliver took great care to do that, staying behind Barry - but when Barry walked onto the water, he stopped following. Barry turned around and gestured for him to follow him. Doubting his ability to walk on water as well, Oliver took at step forward. His feet hit the surface of the water and broke through it.

Realization dawned on Barry's face. Hurrying back, he grabbed Oliver softly and captured Oliver's lips with his own. The kiss was chaste, barely touching lips, but Oliver's adrenaline skyrocketed. Barry pulled away. _Try again_ , he mouthed.

Oliver's foot touched the surface of the water - and it held him. Holding his breath, he stepped with his second foot on it. It felt a little like the ground was moving, flexing with the waves. Barry smiled at him brightly, holding his hand out to Oliver. Taking his hand, Oliver followed him farther into the sea, not throwing a look back.

When they stopped walking, Oliver looked down. He couldn't see the ground, but there were little fishes swimming around, moonlight illuminating them, like silver glitter thrown into the sea.

Barry speed around, catching them and throwing them to Oliver, who captured them in the basket. Soon it was filled with fish, and Oliver started to wonder how Barry could willingly switch on and off his ability, because he had to get into the water to catch the fish. But he forgot every thought on his mind when he found Barry smiling at him. "Time to go back, isn't it?" Looking at the sky, Oliver realized the moon was already going down again, morning not there yet, but soon to come. He would have to be back before Shadow woke up.

Barry grapped his hand and when they both stepped onto the stony beach, and a little shiver ran down Oliver's spine seeing the amount of the deep water they had crossed.

Hurrying, Oliver returned to their hiding place. Slipping underneath the covers of his bed - it wasn't really a bed, more of a hammock - he fell asleep, dreaming about green eyes and dimpled cheeks.

**____________________________**

They went fishing almost every night. Oliver did not tell Shadow and Slade anything about Barry and to avoid all suspection, he went fishing during the afternoon, so they would not wonder about when he caught the fish.

They found a routine, Oliver would sneak out of the building to meet Barry, they would walk down to the sea. On the stony beach Barry would kiss him - and if those kisses became longer every night and ended with Oliver gasping for oxygen, then nobody needed to know that.

It was only the night of the full moon Barry did not show up. Oliver still was awake, sitting on the roof of the building they slept in - he had dreamt about home. He had dreamt about Thea and his mother, about Tommy and Laurel - but now there was something lingering on his mind. The image of his home had always struck his as everything he wanted since he had been on this island - but now there was a little thought spooking around in his head and Oliver wasn't ready to admit it yet.

A creak on the stairs had him turning his head. Shado's dark eyes looked at him, worry written on her face. He smiled at her softly when she sat down next to him.

"Still dreaming about your family?" Oliver smiled weakly. He had never stopped dreaming about them.

"I just... I miss them _so much_." He stared at his hand. "It feels like I have never appreciated what I had - and now I will probably never see them again." Only alone at night Oliver could let himself feel the pain - the regret, the guilt. Shado understood. She could understand, because she felt the same things, had seen the same horrible things. Her small, strong hand touched his shoulder.

"It's okay, Oliver. I miss my sister, too." Her eyes were sad and broken, starring into the endless night. "But the thought of her gives me the strength to fight."  
She smiled at him, brave and afraid, broken and strong. 

Oliver looked at the stars. "You should tell him, you know - he likes you to."  
Shado's cheeks reddened. "That's not something you can know about."

Oliver laughed at that. "Trust me. If I know anything in this world, it's the look of absolutely adoration in someone eyes." _And the look when you break their hearts_ , a voice in his head whispered.  
Shado looked at him with doubt in her eyes. Oliver sighed. "I wasn't a good person. I hurt... a lot of people - I was too blind to see the really important things. And I was too much of a coward to be with the woman I loved." He shut his eyes at the sharp pain. He regretted so many things. "Don't make my mistakes, Shado."

Looking at her, there was something vulnerable in his eyes. Shado nodded softly. "You should go to sleep soon, too." Oliver nodded, smiling sadly when she touched his arm before turning around to get back into the house.

He didn't go to sleep. He watched the moon wander across the sky, wondering if his family looked at the stars and thought of him, too.

**____________________________**

The nights after, he slipped out again to meet Barry. He didn't like sneaking out on Shado - but tonight she slept next to Slade, her arm across his waist. A secret smile tugged at Oliver's lips, glad to see his friends happy.

Barry always caught him by surprise, appearing behind him. "Hello again." Oliver turned around, eyes instantly drawn to those pretty eyes. "There's the friendly ghost again," he joked, for a second the careless boy he had been shimmering through the shell the island had already formed.

Barry grabbed his hand, smiling, drawing him into the woods, heading towards the ocean. There he stopped, turning around as always to kiss him. But this time it was different.

The moment their lips touched, Oliver's hands cupped Barry's face, holding him close. He could feel Barry's warm hands on his waist, his chest against his. Gasping, he slid his hands into Barry's hair, desperation drowning his thoughts. Barry pinned him against the next tree, hands roaming over his chest, his sides, soft palms sliding up his arms. The need for oxygen made Oliver break the kiss, leaning his head back against the tree. Normally, Barry would have taken a step back, walked towards the water and it would have been something they never talked about.

Instead, he leaned in, pressing his forehead against Oliver's. Their lips met again, less desperate, slow and soft and almost affectionate. But now Oliver did let himself think that, no longer locking his feelings into a little place far away.

His hands mussed up Barry's hair and Barry's hands felt hot on his skin, hot enough to leave an imprint on his soul.

**____________________________**

There were more of those nights.  
They were still fishing, but the nights felt like - more. Stolen kisses, desperate hands holding on, hot skin against lips.

It got harder to focus during the day - Oliver slept not enough and lied not good enough. He told Shado and Slade he had nightmares again, stopping him from sleeping. He didn't like lying to them, but he could not tell them the truth - he had promised not to. And he could not really explain what happened, either.

This night he had sneaked out a little later than usually. Slade had been awake longer, so he had to wait. Waiting for Barry, he leaned against a wall. 

He didn't notice Shado slipping out after him. She had noticed how distracted Oliver had seemed, the dark shadows underneath his eyes. She worried about him, and so she decided to stay awake - assuming he woke at night, having nightmares and being unable to sleep again.

When Barry slipped out of the shadows, a little smile tugged at Oliver's lips. Barry pressed his lips against Oliver's, effectively trapping him against the wall. Oliver slid an arm around Barry's waist, holding him close, the other hand sliding up to come to rest between his shoulders.

The kiss was desperate, but in a way lovers were desperate for each other - Shadow felt her heart break for Oliver. Seeing Barry already made her suspicious, but Oliver's reactions made the truth painfully obvious to herHe didn't know. He _couldn't_ know, because he had not been told the stories about spirits like she had been.  
It all clicked into place - his not sleeping, being distracted, the fish he brought home at night. The way he seemed like he wanted to say something sometimes, but didn't speak then.

Breaking the kiss, Oliver leaned his head against the wall. Barry kissed down his throat, biting into his neck just above his collarbone. Oliver gasped.  
"Shh, you don't want to wake them up, do you?" Grinning, Barry bit down harder, making Oliver arch his back. His hands had found the way into Barry's hair, pulling slightly, unsure if they wanted to pull him away or hold him close. Oliver's fluttered closed. "Barry..." 

The longing in his voice shattered Shado's heart. Lifting her bow, she pointed the arrowhead at the man - spirit - boy - Barry - demon. She carefully stepped out of the shadows, as quiet as a ghost.

Aiming her arrow at his heart, she spoke. "Get away from him,  _精神_."  
Oliver's eyes snapped open. Barry froze in his movement, avoiding Oliver's eyes.

Shadow broke the silence. "Oliver, get away from him." 

"What? No- what are you _doing_ , Shado?" Oliver looked confused, trying to understand what the hell was happening. Shadow's eyes softened.

"I know you don't understand. But he is a 精神 - a ghost you would say.  A spirit. A powerful being without humanity -  a god trapped in a human body, if you want to exaggerate." She looked at Oliver with pleading eyes, sadness and worry visible on her face.

He looked at Barry. "Is that true?" Barry just looked at him. Oliver could see his face blur around the edges, ears suddenly more pointed, lightning crackling behind Barry's eyes. Oliver's hands slid down Barry's arms, letting go of him.

"Oliver, he is not able to love you." Shadow's words destroyed the motionlessness between them. Barry flashed away, a blur of lighting and electricity.  
Oliver leaned back against the wall, slowly sliding down. Shadow caught him before he hit the ground, hugging him tightly, hiding his tears from the world. "I am sorry", she whispered and Oliver knew, he knew she meant it. It still hurt. He held onto her, letting himself feel the loss tonight, because he knew he couldn't in the daylight.

**____________________________**

Shado knew he was hurting. And she knew he was still sneaking out at night, waiting, hoping. And she also saw his tears clinging to his cheeks in the morning.

She told Slade. Not everything - but enough to make him understand. Enough to have him tell her to go to Oliver when he needed someone to lean on.  
Enough so Slade was not jealous - he understood they were friends. 

Shadow knew Oliver was still waiting. Even when his heart knew, his spirit was not coming back.

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on the chinese fairytale 'The Spirit'.  
> Writing the ending made me almost cry.


End file.
